Detachable wheel chair walking apparatus



June 5, 1951 J. D. THOMAS 2,556,121

DETACHABLE WHEEL CHAIR WALKING APPARATUS Filed July 15, 1949 mvEN-rcmPatented June 5, 1951 UNITED DETACHABLE WHEEL CHAIR WALKING APPARATUSJean D. Thomas Buffalo, N, Y. Application July 13, 1949, Serial No.104,401

' This invention relates generally to certain new and usefulimprovements in apparatus for use by invalids but more particularly toan apparatus for use in conjunction with or without a wheel chair toenable the user, supported by such apparatus, to walk and move about atwill and thereby exercise his leg muscles to strengthen and improvetheir condition.

It has for one of its objects to provide an invalid walking apparatus ofthis character which is so designed and constructed as to be readilyattached to and detached from a wheel chair, by the invalid himself,while seated in such chair, and which affords him complete safety andprotection at all times when in use.

Another object of the invention is to provide the wheel chair walkerwith a novel two-part seat structure which can be readily folded out ofuse when desired.

Other features of'the invention reside in the construction andarrangement of parts hereinafter described and particularly pointed outin the appended claims.

In the accompanying drawings- Figure 1 is a perspective view of myapparatus attached for use to a wheel chair. Figure 2 is an enlargedfragmentary section taken on line 22, Figure 1. Figure 3 is afragmentary perspective View of the walker equipped with my improvedseat. Figure 4 is an enlarged fragmentary section taken on line 4-4,Figure 3. Figure 5 is a cross section taken on line 55, Figure 4.

Similar characters of reference indicate corresponding parts throughoutthe several views.

By way of example, I have shown my invention in conjunction with a wheelchair of ordinary construction, In indicating the frame, I I the seat,!2 the side arms, I3 the hand-propelled wheels, and I4 the casters orsteering wheels. The walking device. indicated generally by the numeralI5, is adapted to be detachably connected in correlation to the Wheelchair to permit the patient to transfer himself from the chair to thewalker and vice versa with complete support at all times.

In its preferred construction, the walking device l5 consists of acomparatively light frame made of tubular material and includinglaterallyspaced side sections [6, l6 of substantially rectangular shapehaving handle bars I1, I! at their upper ends. These handle bars aretelescopically fitted in the companion side sections for verticaladjustment to accommodate the height of the patient for supportinghimself while walking or exercising. At their lower ends theseframesections it have casters l8 mounted thereon 4Claims. (c1. 155-.-22)

which glidingly support the device when coupled with the wheel chair orat such timeswhen the patient desires to use the device. as a unitseparate and detached'from'the wheel chair.

These frame-sections l6 are adjustably joined transversel in spacedrelation at their front ends to accommodate the width of the wheelchair, while between their rear ends they are unobstructed to permit thepatient to transfer himself from the chair to a walking position betweensuch sections and back again. For this purpose these sections may bejoined by telescopically+ fitted guard rails or tie members I9, 2ll andclamping screws 2| or the like provided for retaining themin theirproperly spaced position. w

The rear end of the walking device is adapted to be detachably connectedto the wheel chair and for this purpose its frame-sections havehorizontal rearwardly-extending coupling members or bars 22 of tubularmaterial adapted for disposition along opposite sides of the chairbeneath the arm rests thereof, each member being f tted at one end witha coupling plug 23 for connecting it endwise by an axially-disposed bolt24 to the adjoining side section IS, the latter having a vertical row ofbolt-receiving openings 25 therein to position the companion couplingmember at the proper height in relation to the Wheel chair. Connected toeach coupling member 22 is a transverse hook-like fitting 25 whosethreaded shank 21 is adjustably positioned in one or another of a seriesof openings 28 formed in such member to bring the hook portion of suchfitting into embraced relation with the adjoining front portion of thechair-frame ID in the manner shown in Figures 1 and 2. A nut oradjusting knob 29 is applied to the fitting-shank for detachablyclamping the fitting securely in place, the latter having a rubbergripping sleeve 30 thereon. By this construction, the patient himselfcan readily attach and detach the walking device to his wheel chairwhile seated therein and without the aid of others, and it does notinterfere or in any way prevent the wheel chair being propelled in itsusual manner should the patient have occasion to do so.

Adjustably mounted at the rear side of the walker between itsframe-sections I6 is a seat for the purpose of enabling the patient toassume a sitting posture when using the walker. This seat is verticallyfoldable to and from an operative position and consists of companionsections 3|, 31, each secured at its outer end to a bracket 32 pivotedat 33 to the adjoining upright portion of the frame-section l6 of thewalker. Each bracket includes a channel portion 34, rising above itspivot, which embraces the frame-section in the operative position of theseat, as shown in Figure 3, and effectually retains the same in ahorizontal position, the opposing inner ends of the seat-sections 3|substantially meeting and abutting each other as shown. As,

shown in Figure 4, one seat-section has an eye 35 on theunderside of itsinner end and the companion seat-section has a mating hook 36 thereon,whereby such sections are coupled against accidental displacement.

While manifestly simple, compact and inexpensive in construction, thiswheel chair walker or exerciser attachment is very practical and enablesthe patient himself to connect it to and disconnect it from his wheelchair and to have maximum confidence for support and complete safety andprotection when he desires to exercise his leg muscles and at the sametime be assured that at the end of such exercising period he can againrelaxin his chair by merely changing from a standing to a sittingposture. In practice, thepatien-t propels his wheel chair to the walkingattachment and after connecting the parts," he is in unobstructedcorrelation with the attachment to transfer himself unaided from thechair to a standing posture between the frame-sections I5,v l6 and,after exercising, as readily transfer himself to the chair, and withthe; assurance of complete supporting protection at all times.

I claim as my invention:

h Awalking device for detachable connection to a'whee'l chair,comprising a wheeled frame having members projectingfrom the rear endthereof for disposition along opposite sides of the chair, and clampingelements applied transversely-of said members for releasable clampingengagement with adjoining portions of the wheel chair;

o r 4 2. A walking device for detachable connection to a wheel chair,comprising a wheeled frame having members projecting from the rear endthereof for disposition'along opposite sides of the" chair, andhook-like fittings adjustable transversely on said members for clampingengagement with the adjoining portions of the wheel chair.

I 3. A walking device for detachable connection to a wheel chair,comprising a wheeled frame having members projecting from the rear endthereof for disposition along opposite sides of the chair, and fittingsapplied to said members for detachably clamping adjoining portions ofthe wheel chair thereto, each of said fittings including an attachingshank engageable transversely with the companion member and provided atone end with a hook between which and such member the adjoining portionof the wheel chair is adapted to be detachably clamped. 4. YA walkingdevice for detachable connection tea wheel chair, comprising a wheeledframe -having members projecting from the rear end thereof fordisposition along opposite sides of the chair and having rows oftransverse openings therein, and fittings engageable with one "oranother of the openings in said members for "detachably clampingadjoining portions of the The following references are of record in thefile of this patent: I

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date l,420,095- I Gutter June 20,,1922Yusek Nov. 3, 1942

